in southeast. the same church where officer palmer served as director of the choir and the victim that attended services with the family. from 2004-2006, the affidavit said the choir director would assault the girl during rehearsal breaks while sending the others to the store. at the time she was 11 years old. when the officers searched the church, they took photos and diagrammed the premises. the woman told detectives the abuse gegan while she was in the sixth grade and continued until she was 13 years old. officer wendell palmer is 44. until recently, law enforcement sources say that wendell palmer was a patrol officer in the sixth district located east of the anacostia river. his police powers were revoked some time ago but it's unclear exactly when. and the church's website doesn't currently list any information about a youth choir or name wendel palmer as the director. now, based on the affidavit, it

appears the woman making the claim against the officer is now either 19 or 20 years old. palmer is facing one count of first-degree child sexual abuse. law enforcement sources say the investigation is ongoing. brian? >> paul wagner tonight. another big story we're following. the maryland-virginia general assemblies are in session. some of the big issues maryland legislator will face, including gun control, a repeel of the death penalty, and transportation funding. reporter -- legislator of virginia considering gun control, transportation funding and possible changes to teacher tenure. fox 5 spent the day at both opening sessions. we have team coverage and start with john henrehan in annapolis. >> reporter: last year, maryland's legislature tackled several hot-button issues like gay marriage and the dream act. don't expect quite as many headlines this year. there will be fights over where to get more money for fixing maryland's roads, bridges and

transit needs, some people think hike the gas tax and others say make it a county option so some georges -- counties can go one way and rural counties go can go another. the governor wants them to abolish the september death penalty and some think capitol punishment should be retained for those committing the most heinous crimes and maryland will probably fight about whether to permit fraction error hearing for natural gas. in the western parts of the state. now, here's my colleague tom fitzgerald in richmond and what is going on in virginia. >> reporter: here in richmond as the general assembly got underway for 2013, the focus turned to transportation and the governor's plan to do away with the state gas tax and replace it with a higher sales tax, which would be exclusively dedicated to transportation funding. the democrats dismiss the

government's plan saying it would put the soul burd on the part backs of virginians and virginians alone. others argue that new fees like adding $15 to the car registration fee and giving a $100 fee to the owners of alternative fuel vehicle sends the wrong message of saving gas and is expected to be a major focus of the governor's address at the general assembly and in the state capitol tonight. tom fitzgerald, fox 5 news. labor secretary hilda solice is resigning. she submitted her resignation letter to the president today. he made -- she made the decision after talking with her family and close friends. redskins fans are patiently waiting and the procedure, success. now rehabilitation begins. fox 5s sports director scott smith has more. >> reporter: five hours in surgery and not just one but two ligaments needed fixing and

dr. james andrews repaired the lcl that was sprained since early december and performed a reconstruction of the acl. the second time in three years that that right acl has been reconstructed and that is anywhere from 6 to 9 months. according to a report, mike shanahan reviewed the game tape and believes the injury took place on this play in the fourth quarter and that is the play before on that snap. dr. ben schaeffer lends his insight to the recovery times. >> and the significant injury when you have to revise an acl and it's probably longer than a primary one and you add to that and that is adding further to it and my prediction, this is a 9-month recovery time table. having said, that that is clear

in the nfl that athletes, and it's true in other leagues, get better and better as they accumulate more experience on the field and he's going to be best in the second season after returning and i would expect him to return based on what i have heard from next season. >> and he's not alone. dr. and ruse, the redskins and griffin himself have released statements saying they believe he will be back on the field in time and griffin is staying in florida for a while to be monitored and begin rehabilitation. brian? >> and thanks. >> reporter: we're hearing from the national cathedral. the church will now begin performing same-sex marriages. the cathedral is among the first episcopal churches to officiate the marriages for the gay, lerp warp, bisexual and transgender members. the reverend hall joins us now. good to see you. >> good afternoon. >> and this is a change from previous thinking.

hasn't it gone on and said it will perform blessings? why the change? >> two things happened. and it approved a right for same-six blessings and authorized them where same-sex marriage is illegal and that is in all parts of the diocese in the district and maryland and so, the bishop in consullation with each other and the new right and law and have felt it's time to take a step forward and offer same-sex marriage as l. >> and that is quite a step and considered america's church by many of the faith and is this a signal? >> is&there is a consensus about the same-sex blessing and where marriage is legal and

because it goes beyond the episcopal church, we're trying to spoke out to the christian and inner faith community, we stand for marriage equality and with lgbt people. >> slu backlash? >> and we have had some, but from people in our community. they put so much energy thinking this through that we have a strong consensus. people from other faith positions and christian nominations have had some negative reaction and a lot of support. >> and rer end hall, thank you very much for coming in. >> and you're welcome. >> and mark writes real catholics use the bible as a guide. don't take it word for word and learned that god created us to learn one another. jason allison writes, quote, a marriage is between one man and one woman, god said so. vanessa mickey said we don't live in the dark ages anymore and some people are gay.

get over it. to weigh in, go to www.myfoxdc.com -- my fox d.c.'s facebook page. straight ahead on the news edge. on the heels of the connecticut shooting tragedy, why that song is being pulled from the air at a local radio station. plus, cheating allegations resurface at d.c. public schools. sue. >> and some clouds coming through the area today ahead of a cool front and what a spread in the 17 degrees difference between d.c. at 45 and fredericksburg at 62 and will we have anymore 60s in the forecast? i will fill you in on that with the seven-day forecast in just moments. brian. >> and if you have a story idea, give the fox 5 tipline a call. or e-mail us fox 5 tips@wttg.com. @wttg.com.   irene, drop the itch.

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. a frederick radio station is pulling a popular song from the playlist in the wake of the sandy hook shootings. >> the song includes the lyrics all of the other kids with the pumped-up picks you better outrun the gun. the song is insensitive to the victims of the connecticut elementary school massacre and has been permanently removed. the district took several steps today. vin sent gray put two new -- vincent gray put new 2 new bills and to determine who is driving drunk. they stopped using breath tests for two years. the equipment was not considered reliable and they're confident about their now technology. and kaya henderson is spoon for example accusations and possible cheating in d.c. public schools and that is?

response to an episode that aired last night and they were featured. kathorne alludes to test cheating at her school in 2010- 2011 and henderson reiterates all investigations conclude said there was no widespread cheating. coming up on the news edge, how they having them express themselves through play writing. writing. . >> you thought dad filmed a parody video, i'm a daddy and i know it. and that is for five kids. the video started as a gag gift for the family and --

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. who would want to see the work on stage and in print. for kids, it's a bigger bost. this weekend, there is a book party in d.c. for a newly published group of authors. all students, as beth parker shows , they have a lot to say. >> hello? my name is daddy on thadeus the fourth, i am commonly referred to as thaddeus and i am, very intellectually gifted. >> they're portraying children. >> and you will be the captain and i -- >> they both professional actors and this is part a program called young play wrights knee iter. >> and -- [ indiscernible ] [ laughter ] >> once a week, the non-profit

takes over a student's english class. >> kid of -- kids of all ages write their own plays. >> and it was cool. it was not about the grade. it was more about, you know, having creativity and having fun. >> reporter: young playwright theater was founded in columbia heights 17 years ago and they're now in schools in d.c., maryland, and virginia. in fact, they have ended up with so many great plays that they decided to publish a book. >> and it's not every day that you get to say that you have your plan and don't know who is going to read it. >> reporter: she said there might be a lot of people. they're getting a lot of requests from schools around the country wanting to replicate the program. >> and we're including not only plays but a ample -- sample curriculum that a teacher can

take and that a student can inspire. >> and they not necessarily looking to train kids to be professional playwrights. they want to create the next yen generation of great thinkers. >> and will you teach me how to make cookies? >> yes. >> beth parker, fox news. >> and beautiful. >> love it. >> and that caught a bunch of people offguard. >> and what this is? >> and that is not supposed to happen and that came through way ahead of schedule and i didn't think we would get showers. i thought we would have a few in the mountains. >> right. >> and that is not going into my resume real. -- reel.

>> got you. >> and i was going bring it up, anyway. there were some people enjoying the weather, regardless and we did have a pleasant condition and people are throwing the football around new that we're not going have the redskins throwing the football around and everyone else can get in on the act. the runners run no matter what, don't they? is any. >> reporter: and the weather was warm in a few spots and not necessarily as you're going to so. d.c. up to 50 and we're at 45 here, and there is the warm air and where that was, too and oh, my goodness, dulles down to 38 and some with culpeper. richmond at 61 degrees and raleigh at 60, and you know, something's coming with

chicago's 41 degrees at 6:00 and detroit is 43 as is pittsburgh. lots of warm air continuing to kind of build across the country. atlanta, 63 degrees. this is not bad for january and, by the way, even a 50 degrees reading today is above normal by 7 degrees here. we have a big storm system that is developing down here across texas and louisiana. look at all the heavy rain with that and some cloud cover getting pulled north with that. eventually, we get some of the showers with that system. and what we had came through in advance of a weak frontal boundary and that is not a lot of rain and we're dry and need it and watch the cloud cover and that is starting to go away and some skies are clearing out and that is ven uss and looks like a star and that is a beautiful thing to see this time of the year. the skies are clear and you can see it. 38 degrees overnight. the low 30s in the suburbs and that is not cold for this time

of the year. tomorrow, the sun is back and with that temperature to 51 degrees and by noon, 48 degrees and 49 with a lot of sunshine and thought we could give you a quick look tomorrow and into some upper 40s and low 50s, sunshine in the forecast and we take this shower activity north and that is looks like we may get some showers, not so much tomorrow and on to friday afternoon. we might have a quick line of showers coming on through and to the weekend. let's check it out and that can be as warm as 62 on saturday and 65 on sunday and some

places south of d.c. the cold air is not in the cards for us yet. >> all right. >> and that is out west, though. >> okay. and one token won't pass go in the new monopoly game. hasbro launched a safe your token campaign to retire the race a iron, scotty dog, wheelbarrow, shoe, top hat, symbol or battleship. and the company is letting fans vote for the one they want to keep and the fans can vote for the replacement token, toy robot, helicopter, cat, guitar, or diamond ring. a former redskins running back weighs in and the questions when enough is enough. and not every day you see a car dangling over the building and that is just a decoration. the owner of a houston rug shop and to drum up some business and to get a merchandise.

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after five hours in surgery this morning, robert griffin 3 is recovering at this hour and all parties involved are predicting a return to the game fold next season and rehab takes from six to eight months. the procedure included a repair of the right acl which was sprained in early december and in that baltimore gain and they reconstructed the acl in the same knee and used graphs to complete the procedure and that is a second time in three years griffin underwent a acl construction in the right knee and based on the timeline, he might be able to participate during training camp. and a statement from dr. andrews read that he had successful injury and had a direct repair to the acl and we expect a full recovery and that is everybody's help and belief that he will be ready for the 2013 season and earlier today,

firm hightower tore his acl in october 2011 had this to say regarding rg3. >> and that is not but great or toughness all of the time. and this is about being smart and knowing how to separate when to use this toughness and also when to use a wisdom and when to be mature about things. and that is something i love and he'll learn and high will get a better grasp. the more you get and hopefully this is something that is good. >> and the maryland terrapins are riding a 13-game winning streak against florida state. a 14th would equal a school record. you watch the game at 8:00 on my 20wdca and they don't want the pursuit of the record to be a distraction. >> and that is not our focus on breaking and that is going to

be the best we can and at the end of the season, and we want to maximize our potential and plum on build up that and to where it was. >> and they voted in favor of the new collective bargaining agreement and they not expected to vote until friday and today, no players were elected to the base ball hall of fame since 1996 and they need 75% of the vote. craig biggio came the closest with 69%. and let's go to shape with a look at what is coming up at 10. >> we're continuing to track a dramatic spike in flu cases. how one is playing tant role in tracking the nationwide trend. and what was it like talking gun control with the vice president? a virginia tech survivor joins us in the studio to talk about the meeting at the white house. and a special "american idol"

premier here in d.c. we're getting reaction to the connect erroroff of season 12. that and much more at 10. brian? >> we'll see you then and over to sue palka and a last look at the forecast. sue. >> we have an april preview coming here. looks like once we're through thursday and friday, thursday will be dry and friday may feature showers in the afternoon, we might be talking about the temperatures in the low to mid-60s for saturday and sunday. good amount of sunshine around and then we'll have a few more showers to begin next workweek, monday, tuesday, and wednesday. and that is all above normal. >> and you have the news edge. the news is always on www.myfoxdc.com. back here tonight.